Liquid meter



Feb. 13, 1940. Y R. S'BAS ETT 2,190,006

LIQUID METER Filed Feb. 24, 1939 l0 II M v I 22 Y F" 5 \0 170 l'lc FIG. 2

INVENTOR FIG. 3 v WBM Patented Feb. 13, 1940 i l i assume I Atacama-Far jg? can METER "Bassett; BuffalorN;Y, I w-: 193 rSerial :No. 258,220 I Q I v This invention relates :to watermeterswofothe gear 'type. especially those: with frost: protection and has among. its objects the suppcrtciofithe.m her and more expensive-working. partsi of ithe meter in the outer surrounding caselin -suche manner that, asthemeter freezes, theyg-asfwell as the main outer case, willbeirelieved from strainand distortil'm due to the breaking of an inexpensive part, usually-the bottom of the outer case.

Another object of my present invention is to improve the construction and arrangement of the parts in a the accuracy and efficiency of the meter through reducing leakage past the gears at the points of contact between the gears.

I haveprovided for a plurality of pairs of,

gears. in the measuring chamber instead of the usual single'pair of gears so that there is a plurality of sets of contact between the gears to I and shows how the expansion of frozen water would break the breakable part of the meter casing to allow the displacement downward of the measuring chamber and also the separation of the measuring chamber parts to prevent distortion of such partsby the expansion of frozen water. a

Referring to the drawing, I is the mainouter casing of the meter, 2 is the breakable bottom casing of the meter which is attached to casing I by bolts 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, and 3. These bolts pass through meeting flanges 4 and 5, clamping them together. 6 is the body of the measuring chamber which is clamped and centered between casings I and 2 in the machined grooved seat I,

so that, when the meter is used to measure water and the water freezes, the metal, which is of a predetermined thickness, between grooved seat I and a cast groove 8, will fracture by the strain becoming too great for it to withstand, and the measuring chamber will be released as shown in Figure 3. III and II are intermediate toothed gears so mounted within casing I that they may move apart axially,when casing I and measurgear type meter so as to increase I chamberbody 6zmove apart slightly as shown I in Figure.3. 1

:Bottom :casing 2 consists essentially, after fracture, of two parts. Outerpart; I2 is the portion that remains attachedto: main outer casing T lz-evenesafterqthe :meten is frozen. I3 is the centralgmovablejpart which is "displaced down+ wardaby nthetexpansion :of :the ice within r -the meter.

Measuring chamber body 6 is shown as being 10 made open at either end. Measuring chamber top I4 and measuring chamber bottom I5 complete the measuring chamber shell which, however, could also be made with body 6 and top I 4 as one integral part since, as shown in Figure'2, 1

they are assembled rigidly together to form a unit. Bottom I5, when used in awater meter that maybe frozen, should be clamped as shown to body, 6 by the meter casing, though my in vention is not limited to this exact method of 20 holding the measuring chamber shell together, except where there is liability the meter becoming frozen.

Within the measuring chamber area plurality of pairs of metering gears intermeshing in a closed series as shown, and with any suitable,

tooth form. For installations where the liquid within the meter may freeze, a straight tooth is preferable to a helical tooth to allow the gears to move freely axially upon separation of the} measuring chamber shell parts. In the drawing I have shown metering gears IBa, I 6b, I and I6d, which mesh together. As shown in Figure 1, I these gears rotate'around gear shafts I Ia, I'Ib,

I10 and FM which may be constructed as shown,

rigidly mounted on measuring chamber bottom I5. separable bottom I5 holds the metering I gears in place axially within the measuring chamber. Gear Ilia has intermediate pinion I0 rigidly mounted on the metering gears to recording register I 8 which, may be of anyconventiona type and which is not shown in detail. i I i The flow of the liquid to be measured is through strainer 22 into measuring chamber in- 45 let openings I9a and I9b. The liquid so entering pushes on the teeth of the metering gears, causing gears I6a and I 60 to revolve in a counter clockwise direction, as shown in Figure 1, while gears I61) and I611 will revolve in a clockwise 50 direction, all in the usual manner for liquid meters or liquid motors of the gear type. The liquid passes along the inner periphery of parts of the measuring chamber-body 6 adjacent to themetering gear teeth, being transferred in '55 of water within I I such portions within the spaces between the teeth of the rotating gears and the measuring chamber wall. After passing through these spaces the liquid passes out through measuring chamber outlets 20a and 201), from there to pass out through meter outlet 23 as indicated by the arrows. One of the most novel features of my gear type. meter is the pack- I 'ing obtained by liquid trapped within center space 21, which is formed between-the pairs of gears and which requires a plurality of pairs to form. By having a plurality of sets of contacts 'betweenthe teeth of adjacent gears, the resistance to leakage is at least doubled as compared to that which is obtained in a simple gear'type meter with only two gears. As it is dimcult to obtain a contact between gear teeth which will prevent the flow of liquid between them my invention, by doubling the number of contacts, makes the resistance to leakage at this point fully equal to the resistance against leakage at the points where the tips of the gear teethcom'e in contact with the'inner surface of the measuring chamber body. 1

Iclaim as my invention: w v 1. A liquid meter comprising a main outer casing, a bottom outer casing attached to said main outer casing, a measuring chamber within said v said chamber arranged in a closed series with adjacent gears intermeshing and enclosing a central liquid pocket, and a register operativel connected to said gears. I

3. A liquid meter comprising a main outer casing, a bottom outer casing attached to said main outer casing and having a central readily breakable section, a measuring chamber body within said main outer casing,.a separable measuring chamber bottom held against said measuring chamber body by said breakable section, a closed seriesof four intermeshing metering gears held in place axially within said measuring chamber body by said measuring chamber bottom, and a register operatively connected to said gears.

. ROBERT S. .BASSE'IT. 

